Big Bad Buddha Belly

.... ah, so I've been sidelined with a knee injury. And so, I've taken this as an excuse to gorge on all the Holiday Goodness, including turkey, cookies, burgers, tacos and everything else that is sugary, greasy and oh so decadent!

It was also an excuse not to post on my blog. I don't know, it's tough to post on a blog especially when you haven't done jack and squat with regards to fitness. 

I'm back fully recovered so you'll hear more from me.

So tonight, I finally practiced at Seattle Jujutsu after a long hiatus. It's been so long that I almost forgot how to roll around, throw, and I'm not so limber anymore. I wasn't as gassed as I thought I'd be, but it finally felt good to actually practice a few throws and actually feel the knee all better.

I still wear a soft brace and I'm quite careful with it. I practiced for about an hour into the two hour practice, doing some uchikomis and throws. I had to bolt at 8pm because I committed to meeting some friends before the Holiday mayhem. It was all good, and I felt that it would've been a wonderful night of practice. I do miss rolling around Seattle Jujutsu.

So, why the Big Bad Buddha Belly, well being injured gives you excuses. And when I was feeling great, I had none and was pushing myself.  I could for example have gone swimming which woudl be gentle on the joints and do some yoga and lower impact stuff.

I'm really debating about continuing soccer for the next season. The commitment required and the benefit is just not enough for me. I love hanging out with friends. I like doing active stuff with friends. But the potential for injury is quite high!

Seriously, I went to a Sambo Summer Camp and we did leg locks, knee bars and heel hooks all weekend long. Guess what? I didn't get injured, while someone was actively attacking my knee joint or ankle joint.

In all my experience, joint problems usually don't result from locks. It's from the sudden jarring movement from other contact. Now a semi-contact sport like soccer is much more dangerous in my opinion, and everyone in my club agrees. At least with full contact you know when you're going to get hit, can easily relax and go with the flow. 

Anyways, I'm quite excited that I'm fully back up to speed. My knee feels great and it's recovered. Thank goodness!

A new spring in my step.... and Monday Night Arena Soccer Lights!

I think my knee is pretty much up to 97%. With my soft brace, I took to the field.

It was good to get the blood flowing as goalie. Again the game was fun, and it was cool to be in a Recreational League, however, I swear that the other teams are way better than us. It was the usual result, however, I had some more decent saves this time around with a few that were just whizzers that just blasted to the corners, and it was really tough to block. There were a few shots that bounced back or some that the balls where just there and the best thing to do is to just jump on the ball, curl in a fetal position and hope that the opposing kicker doesn't kick you. And this is a non-contact sport?

I still have problems bending down real fast to block or shots that are wide and I have to jump more than 2 or three feet. The shots are fast and some are cannons.

Our team is now 0-5. I think I'll be vying for one of the worst goalkeepers in the league, however, I think I retain my position, simply because... I have no real clue why.

In light of this dubious achievement, I really like to parallel this to Real Professional or College Teams of Seattle. Let's see. Mariners lost over 100+ games this season. U Dub has not won a single game this season, and Wazoo has only won a single game.

In fact the greatest thing about this weekend's Apple Cup is that someone has to win! It'll be another win for the Cougars or a first win for the Huskies.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/huskies/2008399147_uwfb17.html

I don't know if we have another comparable team in the Recreational "D" League. We are playing a double header next weekend and we need subs. Hey if you have a pair of shin guards and can breathe, let me know...

Anyways, at the end of last night's game, everyone in the Arena Sports Magnuson Staff bailed out quickly like rats from a sinking ship. They turned off the lights in the arena WHILE WE WERE THERE. Anyways, I raised my voice to express my displeasure in colorful language. We are paying customers, are we not? Regardless, I think they sheepishly hid till we left the building. It's their own fault, if they shepherded us out of there politely and helped us gather our things, we would be out of there in 5 minutes. Instead, we stuck around for 15 minutes trying to find our gear under the colorful lights of our personal cell phones. That alone will probably not want me to renew my membership. The soccer leauge is pretty much a cash cow, and there were no apologies given to paying customers, or the fact that the facilities themselves are falling into disrepair. Don't let me even get into the urinals in the men's room. But hey, I'm a guy, I have lowered expectations for sports, but still.

On brighter news, I feel much better with my knee functioning properly. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's judo practice and be normal.

Listening to Auburn Bob's Advice

.... So I have been taking it easy.

I didn't go Thursday, Sunday and tonight's Judo Practice. Last night was soccer and I simply watched from the sidelines and watched.

It's really tough for me to sit on the sidelines. It sucks even more being hobbled. I skip/hop from place to place It sucks. I do need to go to the gym somehow and not push myself because being fat sucks. I've totally eaten about 3 lbs. of Halloween Candy. All that excess. OUCH!

Sitting down and being sedentary is just not good for my health. NOT so good.

Anyways took pictures from last night's soccer game. It was fun to watch, but I'd rather I was out on the field. The smart thing was that I didn't bring in my gym bag. Which forced me to sit on the sidelines and support the team. My Defensiveman, Ted, his outer left knee was bugging him and I saw him hobbling after the game. Not good.

I really think that my circle of friends and myself are getting older. I don't know. When I was much much younger, say 10 years ago, not as many injuries floated around, and if it did, people would be sideline for about a week or so and then back in the game.

Then again, I've only been hurting for a week and a day and it sucks. I have noticed significant improvement in my knee. It's coming to the point that it's almost mobile, I'm just going to take it easy because it's not as painful and I could easily push it to the point of breaking again.

For now, just enjoy these pictures:

Soccer has got to be one of the more brutal sports...

Soccer is fun. Don't get me wrong. But I get beat up more in soccer playing goalie than being thrown at least 20x on the mat in judo. It's just a different type of hurt, mainly the unexpected jarring movements back and forth that is very quick. I bashed up my right knee and I'm hobbling a bit, which will need time to recover. Getting thrown in judo, I'm more used to. However throwing myself and diving for the ball is another thing.

One thing that I did not do is warm up. I was just barely on time for the game, and the game starts on the dot, and being a goalie means that I have to be there as I don't get subbed. I think the reason I was so stiff was the lack of warm up, once warmed up I should be good to go. As always, when I don't warm up I get injured. Bah. I've been so careful with my ankles and knees as of late that a knee injury sucks. It's nothing bad so far, it's just that it hurts... a bit.

Anyways, it was fun. I need to work on some of the angles and keeping balls away from the middle of my legs. I have a wide shoulder width stance and a fast ball going fast is hard to block. So i have to narrow my stance a little bit closer. As usual be on the balls of my feet and keep my knees relatively close to block. The worst part is that hopeless feeling as you're trying to get a ball in between your legs, when you adopt a wide stance. THAT SUCKS. It's one thing to dive for a ball and miss, but to miss a ball in between your legs is just embarrassing.

I do like the dojo version of Judo soccer where you just dog pile one another and play, tackle the goalie and what not. And really judo soccer is not really soccer, as the ball is merely an excuse to gang up on whoever has the ball.

I was out with a head cold last week, so I did not do any judo. My head cold is gone today. It was bugging me for about a week, and the last thing I wanted to do was to give someone a head cold grappling. It's just not cool. So I've been laying low for a bit. Consequently, I've been itching to practice and practice hard. Looking forward to tomorrow's practice at the Budokan tomorrow. Hopefully my right knee should be a wee bit better.

Emerald City F.C. !

Today was the first night of the Arena Soccer League. My friends asked me to play as they needed warm bodies to fill the roster. Since, I had a pulse and can magically transform Oxygen into Carbon Dioxide, I fit the bill.

During the recruiting process, I was interviewed. Some pertinent questions were asked.

Through some deep deliberation by the powers that be, I was assigned the goalie position.

Tonight's game was fun, although I should be familiar more with the rules. Mainly I have to stay in the goalie box, and I can do anything in the goalie box. That goalie box is mine! If I venture outside the goalie box, I can only kick the ball.

Umm let's just say that my goal keeping skills need a wee bit of improvement.

Overall a fun Night!

The Emerald City F.C.